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Nature's delight at Kushite's

Published:Thursday | September 12, 2013 | 12:00 AM
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The entrance to Kushite's - enveloped by nature.
Ackee quinoa cutlets, served with roast breadfruit with jerk sauce, and sliced corn marinated in lemon grass sauce.
This rich chocolate cupcake is made from chocolate pods served with slices of banana, garnished with mint and blueberry sauce.
A refreshing glass of lemon grass lemonade - lemon grass and cane juice, topped with ice cubes and garnished with star fruit and lime. - Gladstone Taylor/Photographer
Layered lentil lasagne cup, served with egg plant and carefully garnished with thinly sliced green banana chip and dill.
Ready to eat - Garvey Pizza, topped with black beans and fresh pineapple, served with eggplant and garnished with dill.
Basilicious pita burger, topped with fresh lime basil.
This root canapé medley is made with beet root and diced sweet potato and yams, topped with guacamole.
These cosy cushions add a splash of vibrancy to the wooden gazebo which makes dining at Kushite's such an enjoyable experience. - Gladstone Taylor/Photographer
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Sheree-Ann Spencer, Gleaner Intern

Enveloped by nature with the soothing sounds of waterfalls and ethnic music, Kushite's is the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city centre, with dishes you won't find anywhere else.

Located on Phoenix Avenue, it is the brainchild of the vegetarian duo Kush Tafari and Keisha McDonald.

"As you step in, no one thinks it is a vegetarian restaurant," a proud McDonald tells Food. She notes that customers stay for hours after their meals just to enjoy the ambience.

Despite being a vegetarian restaurant, 80 per cent of customers are non-vegetarians. "Our clients appreciate the fact that they can come somewhere where there are meat-free options, where the food and dining is exquisite," added McDonald.

Even better food

From savoury ackee quinoa cutlets bursting with flavour, to delicious chocolate cake made from scratch with a dash of sweet blueberry glaze, Kushite's proves that vegetarian food does not have to be bland and boring.

Each dish, exquisitely garnished and presented, is made from scratch with all natural products.

"The most common comments we get from our customers is that they don't even miss the meat," notes McDonald.

Tafari, who is also the chef, said the food is so good because, having more than 10 years of experience in the hotel industry, he "learned how to manipulate local spices and seasonings".

Their approach to food is revolutionary.

"Our dishes are innovative. They are completely unique and dishes you won't find anywhere else," notes McDonald who said she got her inspiration from all over the world, which makes Kushite's 'dishes diverse'.

Their love and passion for good food is what drives them to put so much effort into each dish. This passion is also what led to them opening Kushite's.

McDonald told Food that they have been preparing the dishes on Kushite's menu in their own home and, because it was so good, they decided to take their home kitchen to Kushite's.

The foodies have also been searching for somewhere they can enjoy a fine-dining experience, but to no avail. So, instead of complaining, they created their own. That, they revealed, was their biggest motivation.

They also wanted to prove that vegetarian food could be good and enjoyed by non-vegetarians.

"One of our goals is to clear up that perception about vegetarian food. Vegetarian food doesn't have to be bland and boring, and we can prove it."

Their message? "Don't think of it as a vegetarian restaurant, think of it as a restaurant where the food is great".

Though the response has been good so far, McDonald reveals that she is not complacent, as she believes she has to come 10 times better than the average restaurants.

This little beacon enveloped by nature, is just about 10 minutes drive from Half-Way Tree.